Hugh Braithwaite, Braithwaite Communications: Philadelphia Crisis PR Q&A

Originally published December 2020. Updated September 2026.

Part of Philadelphia PR Firms · PR Agency Q&A Profiles · See also: Braithwaite Communications agency profile · Hugh Burnham, Lumina Communications

Hugh Braithwaite founded Braithwaite Communications in 1997 — a Philadelphia-based PR and communications agency specializing in crisis communications for legal teams. In 2020, Braithwaite Communications was named to Forbes' top 200 PR agencies in the U.S.. Services include public relations and crisis, content marketing, internal communications, branding and graphic design, and digital and social media marketing. Braithwaite had been a guest lecturer at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania since 2002, teaching crisis communications, public relations, and corporate storytelling, and also taught at St. Joseph's University.

The Interview (December 2020)

Q: Where did your journey with PR begin?

A: I was eager to move to New York and join a big firm, which I did — leading national launches for Pharma products and conducting media training across the country. PR then was paper-driven. I distinctly remember hand-stuffing press kits and rushing down to the late FedEx collection point, then waiting a day or two to make a follow-up call. The formats and pace have changed, but the fundamentals are stronger than ever. The best campaigns are still story-based.

Q: How does COVID-19 compare to other crises?

A: By far the biggest impact to the way we live and work. Unlike other large national crises, COVID-19 triggered immediate and universal impacts across all sectors. Similar to 9/11, we saw a huge surge in our crisis management work. Companies of all sizes were asking us to help build communications plans and prepare for negative scenarios. The uptick in crisis and employee engagement work has exploded.

Q: Has crisis communication for legal teams always been a passion?

A: Yes. We often joke that we split our time keeping half our clients in the news, and the other half out of the news. Crisis work is the same skill set, but at hyper speed with much higher stakes. When a crisis hits, a brand's first response is to go silent. More and more legal teams are realizing that "no comment" has no place in a modern crisis communications strategy. I'm proud to share our latest eBook, Crisis Management for Legal Teams — a new playbook built on the hundreds of crises we've helped brands navigate.

Q: Other outlets for your knowledge?

A: Since 2002 I have had the pleasure of being a guest lecturer at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania teaching crisis communications, public relations, and corporate storytelling. This year, students were hyper-focused on discussing new strategies to help brands overcome the impact of COVID-19.

Q: Where does Braithwaite's storytelling influence originate?

A: For me, storytelling comes from a very personal place — my family kitchen table. Growing up in a loud Irish family, all five kids and both parents were master storytellers. In my family, you had to earn your spot to tell your story. If your story wasn't funny, surprising, compelling, or well-timed, you would lose the floor and their attention. Today, those are the exact same attributes of good media. Whether we're talking to Wawa or Merck, we tell all our clients that paid media is the price brands pay when they lack a good story.

What Happened to Braithwaite Communications

Hugh Braithwaite died suddenly on February 28, 2024, at age 63. The Philadelphia Inquirer described him as "a creative and engaging expert in crisis communications, public relations, marketing, and branding." He co-founded the firm with his wife Carolyn Braithwaite in 1996/1997, and it grew to serve clients including Wawa, Merck, Coca-Cola, General Electric, Microsoft, and Hasbro. Following his death, the firm continued under president Jason Rocker, with Braithwaite Communications describing itself at the time as "the largest it has ever been." In 2026, nearly 30 years after its founding, Braithwaite Communications was acquired by Atlanta-based Arketi Group, an integrated B2B marketing and communications firm expanding its Northeast footprint.